ing very agreeable account was communicated to Mr. Malone, in a letter by the Honourable John Byng, to whom I am much obliged for granting me permission to introduce it in my work: "Dear Sir, Since I saw you I have had a long conversation with Cawston,' who sat up with Dr. Johnson, from nine o'clock on Sunday evening, till ten o'clock on Monday morning. And, from what I can gather from him, it should seem that Dr. Johnson was perfectly composed, steady in hope, and resigned to death. At the interval of each hour, they assisted him to sit up in his bed, and move his legs, which were in much pain; when he regularly addressed himself to fervent prayer; and though, sometimes, his voice failed him, his sense never did, during that time. The only sustenance he received was cider and water. He said his mind was prepared, and the time of his dissolution seemed long. At six in the morning, he inquired the hour, and, on being informed, said that all went on regularly, and he felt he had but a few hours to live. "At ten o'clock in the morning he parted from Cawston, saying, 'You should not detain Mr. Windham's servant: I thank you; bear my remembrance to your master.' Cawston says that no man could appear more collected, more devout, or less terrified at the thoughts of the approaching minute. "This account, which is so much more agreeable than, and somewhat different from, yours, has given 1 Servant to the Right Honourable William Windham. us the satisfaction of thinking that that great man died as he lived, full of resignation, strengthened in faith, and joyful in hope." A few days before his death, he had asked Sir John Hawkins, as one of his executors, where he should be buried; and on being answered, "Doubtless in Westminster Abbey," seemed to feel a satisfaction very natural to a poet; and indeed in my opinion very natural to every man of any imagination, who has no family sepulchre in which he can be laid with his fathers. Accordingly, upon Monday, December 20, his remains were deposited in that noble and renowned edifice: and over his grave was placed a large blue flagstone with this inscription: "SAMUEL JOHNSON, LL.D. Obiit XIII die Decembris M. DCC. LXXXIV Etatis suae LXXV." His funeral was attended by a respectable number of his friends, particularly such of the members of the Literary Club as were then in town; and was also honoured with the presence of several of the Reverend Chapter of Westminster. Mr. Burke, Sir Joseph Banks, Mr. Windham, Mr. Langton, Sir Charles Bunbury, and Mr. Coleman, bore his pall. His schoolfellow, Dr. Taylor, performed the mournful office of reading the burial service. Vol. VI, p. 250. INDEX Addison, Joseph, his style compared with Johnson's, 17. Beauclerk, Topham, 19. Boswell, James, first meeting with Johnson, 32; calls upon Burke, Edmund, described, 61; pallbearer at Johnson's Bute, Earl of, his part in securing a pension for Johnson, 29. Charles II, described by Johnson, 57. Chesterfield, Lord, Johnson's letter to, concerning the Dic- Davies, Thomas, described, 31; introduces Boswell and John- Dilly, Messieurs, give dinner at which Johnson and Wilkes Fleet St. House, inmates of, 74. Garrick, David, describes Johnson's wife, 15; goes to London 50, 75; Vicar of Wakefield, 37; disputes with Johnson, 46, 51. Johnson, Elizabeth, described by Garrick, 15. Johnson, Michael, character of, 9; political opinions, 11. Langton, Bennet, described, 18; pallbearer at Johnson's funeral, 90. Literary Club, members of the, 53. London, cost of living in, 16. Rambler, admired by Langton, 18. Reynolds, Sir Joshua, opinion of the propriety of Johnson's Taxation No Tyranny, written at the desire of the party in Thrales, the, described by Johnson, 42; tour of France with Toleration, Johnson's opinion of, 75. Vicar of Wakefield, the, 37. Wilkes, John, meetings with Johnson, 62, 69, 76. Williams, Mrs., influence over Johnson, 65. |